Many network architectures use virtual machines (VMs) and physical machines (e.g., a laptop computer, a desktop computer, a tablet computer, a network, a computer system, a computing device, etc.) to perform various functions and tasks. A virtual machine (VM) is a software implementation of a machine (computer) that includes its own operating system (referred to as a guest operating system) and executes application programs. A host computer allocates a certain amount of its resources to each of the virtual machines, and multiplexes its underlying hardware platform among the virtual machines. Each virtual machine is then able to use the allocated resources to execute its guest operating system and applications. The software layer providing the virtualization is commonly referred to as a hypervisor and is also known as a virtual machine monitor (VMM), a kernel-based hypervisor, or part of a host operating system. The hypervisor emulates the underlying hardware of the host computer, making the use of the virtual machine transparent to the guest operating system and the user of the computer. A host controller (e.g., a server) may manage (e.g., create/remove virtual machines, shut down virtual machines), monitor (e.g., monitor system resources used by hosts and/or virtual machines), configure (e.g., change hardware, software and/or guest operating systems on virtual machines), and/or control the virtual machines.
The VMs and/or the physical machines may use multiple drives (e.g., hard disk drives, flash drives, disc drives, mass storage devices, etc.) to store and/or access data, applications, files, etc. The drives may be located on one or more computing devices or computing systems (e.g., one or more server computers, one or more laptop computers, etc.) For example, there may be seven drives, and three of the drives may be located in one server computer, and the remaining four drives may be located on a different server computers. The VMs and/or the physical machines may use logical volume managers (LVMs) to manage, allocate, and use the multiple drives. An LVM may allow multiple drives to be partitioned, allocated, and/or organized according to a logical organization or structure. This may allow the LVM to create logical volumes (e.g., a virtual disk partition) according to the preferences or requirements of users (e.g., administrators or other people using the VMs and physical machines). For example, the LVM may use the storage space provided by two physical drives and may create a single logical volume from the two physical drives (e.g., may allocate a logical volume). The LVM may allow a VM and/or a physical machine (e.g., a laptop computer) to use the two physical drives as if they were a single partition or a single volume by logically grouping the two physical drives into the logical volume. The LVM may use metadata (e.g., LVM metadata) on the drives to store the configuration details of the logical volume groups. For example, the metadata may store information such as which partitions and/or portions of the physical drives belong to which logical volume and the storage parameters of the logical volumes (e.g., block size, sector size, number of tracks, etc.). In another example, the metadata may store information such as identifications (e.g., names, identifier numbers or values, etc.) for drives, logical volumes, and/or volume groups, the amount of free space, used space, and/or allocated space on the drives, logical volume groups, and/or logical volumes, permissions (e.g., read only, read-write, etc.) for logical volumes and/or logical volume groups, etc.